Potential upside is that working equipment may become dearer on the second hand market
That would depend on what documentation the buyer requires. The position taken in the maintenance business I know is that anything used requires an EASA-1 form. I don’t think there are any exceptions to that in what we call “avionics”. One previous thread is here.
And if Honeywell block 145 companies from repairing the said stuff, will they still allow them to test the said stuff and recertify it? I don’t think so. Recertification would in theory need access to a current MM, for a start.
So I think used equipment prices will collapse, because if it costs 4 figures to send something back to the USA, a lot of avionics will become practically worthless. The beneficiaries would be
You can get reasonable prices for KCS-55 stuff on US Ebay, but here in Europe nobody wants it because almost nobody can generate the EASA-1 form, and for new installs the Aspen does a lot more for the money.
It was the lack of investment in GA that has seen Bendix/king ’s fall from the premier avionic supplier thirty years back to the also ran that they are now, you would think they would have learned their lesson the first time they let the bean counters dictate policy……………it would appear not !
I think most people simply left in the late 1990s, some to Garmin, leaving behind just the accountants and a load of other old guys looking forward to their pensions. Nobody smart will want to work in such an environment, especially in the USA. And the company never got anybody new to run it and drag it out of that situation.
Here is the letter – posted on a US site
Obviously it doesn’t apply to people who are not “channel partners” (I find these euphemisms somewhat sick, especially when in the same letter you shaft the recipient) but as I posted above I suspect their customer base for “unauthorised” repairs will be smaller.
It would be good to get some avionics industry input
One FAA Chief Counsel interpretation of the “current” documentation is here. One view is that this means that an A&P performing a repair on a radio can use a prior version of a maintenance manual. But a repair station, while legal to use a prior manual in some circumstances, is required by Part 145 to have on-hand the most up-to-date version of the manual. So, once Bendix stops providing manuals to dealers, and if it revises those manuals, repair stations will no longer be able to repair radios but a non-repair station can so long as it has a prior version of the manual. The foregoing is for N-regs; the EASA situation is different due to the need for an EASA-1 form.
A flat rate KI256 repair is rumoured to now be $4600…
The ability to test must always be there, otherwise how can a maintenance organisation check if something is working correctly, or indeed issue a radio annual or IFR certification in Germany
Peter wrote:
The little shops will carry on, as they have always done. But their repairs will – as usual – come back without any paperwork, so have to be installed off the books. Most CAMOs refuse to touch these items.
How will the CAMO know if it’s done off the books?
It won’t, but few owners have the capability to do this. So the repair business will shrink massively.
I have just had a KI256 repaired and they said the shaft was worn and had to order a new one from HBK. That parts supply will presumably dry up after 1st July. What will happen then? The shop which did it is not saying what they think will happen, and neither is anyone else I spoke to.
Often it is the bearings which have gone stiff. HBK does not authorise lubricating them so forcing the purchase of new ones each time. If HBK force independent repairs to go off the books only, these restrictions will become irrelevant and any 3rd party parts supplier can be used.
The purchase of parts from HBK is enforceable only if you need to release the repaired item with an 8130-3 or EASA-1 IAW the MM, AIUI. But the lack of postings here from certain avionics shops who used to post is interesting in itself… something is going on.
It would be most interesting if HBK stopped selling parts to their “channel partners” but continued to sell them to the rest.
Anyone know if the King KCS-55A elements were ever field repairable (KMT-112 flux & KG-102 remote gyro)? What about alternative products for these?
I know everyone is keen on the Aspen kit, but it requires other boxes be installed too (AHRS?) which costs $$$ beyond just the PFD itself.
AFAIK the King KMT112 was not repairable, due to the delicate stuff inside. It is about $1k for a new one.
The KG102 is definitely repairable and I had mine fixed once by the top specialist – Castleberry Instruments in Texas. What will happen to firms like that I don’t know. They make their own gyros and could easily repair it… I suspect all these overhaul shops are trying to work out what will happen to their business. HBK have been right bastards to do this, especially as their internal expertise is questionable.
The alternative for the KG102 is the Sandel SG102 which is really brilliant and I have had one for a few years. It uses its own fluxgate but you can re-use the SG102-fluxgate cable. The SG102 is plug compatible with the KG102A but from vague memory there is one obscure thing which it doesn’t do (a stepper motor output?). Sandel stuff is however high quality and not cheap. It fell out of favour in light GA as the Aspen took over that market and remains used in turbine helicopters and various military applications.
I sold a complete KCS55 system on US Ebay for $2500, including 2xKI209 RMI and two KMT112 fluxgates.
You can find Serviceable KMT-112s for around $500 USD fairly easily. The KG-102A can be exchanged for around $1300 USD. Most shops that truly “overhaul” the KG-102A provide a 1 year warranty with the exchange.
As Peter indicated, the SG102 from Sandel is a good solid-state replacement. A new system with magnetometer goes for around $3500. Sometimes you can find them on the used market for around $2500. According to Sandel’s datasheets, the SG102 has an MTBF of 10,000 hours.
If your HSI is not coupled to an autopilot, then the new Garmin G5 G/HSI is a good digital replacement for around $2500 to $3000. However, there are some limitations in ref to what nav radios can be interfaced to the G5.
Lastly, I believe that BendixKing’s intention with this move was to scale down the numbers of dealers and the number of facilities that can repair their units. For years, BK let their dealer network just continue the way it did 20 years ago or so without strict requirements or criteria for maintaining a dealership. We are talking about 500-600 dealers at one point. As a result, the levels of quality from shop to shop could vary drastically. I suppose pulling back in and restricting some people out there who can repair their units might be a reason why they are doing this.
Welcome to EuroGA, JoeSEA And many thanks for the informative post.
The key Q IMHO is whether HBK will stop selling parts and stop releasing the PDF MMs to non channel partners.
If HBK simply stop selling parts (e.g. KI256 bearings) then most of the instrument shops out there (all the way to say Mid Continent) will lose their HBK capability.
This isn’t just avionics.
What do you think will happen?
I have a KI256 and a spare on the shelf. On some estimates these could be worth $10k each. But at $6k (or whatever) for a fixed price repair…? And replacing a KI256 is a right bugger, as they say. EFD1000+EA100, or a G500+GAD43, or a G600… All really major jobs. Years ago, certain firms looked at doing a KI256… basically an electric or AHRS AI with an emulation of the “LVDT” pitch/roll pickoff coils. But then you need to create an STC for it, for each autopilot.
